обозначать свою позицию(Obama generally starts talking tough only to draw a line in the sand, erase it and then keep conceding ground to his opponents until they get most of what they want. iVictorr)
рассказывать сказки(to tell a lie or only part of the truth in order to convince one of something or to avoid the consequences of something: Don't you dare pitch me a line about being at the library. I want to know exactly where you were tonight. • I suspect he's just pitching a line about where all that money came from.4uzhoj)
